Top 10 LGBT+ Destinations 2018

In alphabetical order

This category recognises the travel destinations that have successfully welcomed or are popular with the LGBT+ community.

Berlin

Berlin is one of the world’s top destinations for LGBT+ travellers. The city has a long LGBT+ history, and even had a pioneering Institute for the Science of Sexuality from 1919 to 1933. From the Memorial to Homosexuals Persecuted Under Nazism which can be found on the edge of the Tiergarten to the small memorials in Nollendorfplatz which commemorate the neighbourhood’s many firsts in gay history, including the world’s first gay demonstration, which took place in 1922. Berlin also throws one of the biggest gay pride festivals in the world, each June.

Buenos Aires

“Amor Argentina” is the country’s proactive LGBTQ-welcoming tourism campaign, demonstrating that Argentina leads the way in Latin America when it comes to LGBTQ tourism. The capital, Buenos Aires is a gorgeous city of many passions – open to and inclusive of all visitors, captivating them with history, nightlife, culture and gastronomy like no other. It’s easy to see why hundreds of thousands of gay and lesbian tourists have fallen in love with the city and keep coming back for a quintessentially Porteño experience. www.argentina.travel

Copenhagen

It’s hard to find a distinct LGBTQ neighbourhood in Copenhagen – until you realise that Copenhagen is theLGBTQ neighbourhood of Scandinavia. We blazed the trail in 1989 as the first country to legalise same-sex unions, and we made history in 2017 as the first country to de-pathologise trans people. Copenhagen is open-minded, and Copenhageners stand up for us: More than 350,000 people fly the rainbow-flag at Copenhagen Pride. Now we’re inviting you and the whole world to Copenhagen 2021: The first-ever joint celebration of WorldPride and EuroGames – where equality and diversity will be front and centre. The best part? #YouAreIncluded.

Gothenburg

Gothenburg is Sweden’s second largest city and the closest Swedish destination to the United Kingdom. Its laid back, yet urban-vibe, amazing gastronomy and close proximity to the stunning West Swedish countryside makes it a fabulous all year-round escape for curious gay and lesbian travellers looking for a slice of stereo-typically open-minded, chic, Swedish hospitality. Gothenburg is also home to the annual West Pride LGBTQ celebrations and also Way Out West festival. This year, Gothenburg, along with Stockholm are proud to host Europride 2018, the first time the event will be jointly hosted by 2 cities. For more about Gothenburg and gay-welcoming Sweden, visit www.visitswedenlgbt.com or follow the conversation at #SwedenYoureWelcome.

Madrid

In recent years Madrid has become a top destination for LGBT travellers, and it’s easy to see why. Not only is it a first-class tourist and cultural destination, it’s also a fun, friendly and tolerant city where diversity is a defining feature of everyday life. The Madrid Pride festivities, regarded as some of the best in the world, are a good example of this. Wherever you’re from and whoever you love, Madrid loves you.

Palm Springs

Palm Springs had long been an LGBT haven. In January 2018, they even voted in America’s first all-LGBT city council. It is ranked first in California and the third in the US among cities with the most same-sex couples per 1,000 households, and every year, world-reknowned events like Dinah Shore festival and LGBT Cinema Diverse film festival take place. In fact, Palm Springs is so famous for being LGBT, that there’s even been a book written about it – A City Comes Out: The Gay and Lesbian History of Palm Springs.

Reykjavik

Reykjavik is a small but very cosmopolitan and colorful city. Reykjavík is extremely proud of its LGBT community and has become quite the beacon of rainbow colored lights in the past few years. Apart from being the first country in the world to elect an openly gay head of state, all LGBT people in Iceland enjoy the same rights as everyone else regardless of their sexual orientation, including the right to marry. Iceland is not only famous for ranking number one in the Global Peace Index but according to the Global Gender Gap Report 2017 Iceland takes the top spot for the ninth year in a row.

Taipei

Taipei is Asia’s “No 1 Gay Friendly Destination”. Taipei is a city of contrasts. Surprisingly good ones at that! From the typical tourist attractions of night markets, temples and hot springs to the sophisticated hotel, restaurant and cafe scene, the city is emerging as one of the most gay friendly and welcoming destinations in Asia. Home to more than 3 million people, Taipei City is also known as the San Francisco of the East. Tolerant, open and progressive, the city attracts guys and girls from all over Asia and beyond who want to be themselves without being judged or labelled. Same sex sexual activity is legal. Workplace discrimination based on Sexual orientation is banned and the annual gay pride attracts more than 50,000 people each year.

Winner! Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv is one of the most vibrant and liberal cities in the world. Energy-packed, full of inspiration and cosmopolitan, this 24-hour city will send pulses racing, with world-class nightlife, a buzzing cultural scene, incredible food and golden beaches as far as the eyes can see. Known as the ‘gay capital of the Middle East’, it hosts one of the leading Pride parades in the world and has been described by Lonely Planet as a ‘modern Sin City on the sea, where there are more bars than synagogues and God is a DJ and everyone’s body is a temple’. It is a creative, open-minded, accepting and daring city; no wonder The New York Times titled it the ‘Mediterranean Capital of Cool’!

Tokyo

Tokyo is the LGBT+ capital of Japan. It’s LGBT+ can mainly be found in Shinjuku Ni-chome, which has over 300 LGBT+ bars and offers some of the best nights out in Tokyo regardless of whether you’re straight or gay. Tokyo’s annual pride parade, Tokyo Rainbow Pride celebrates Tokyo’s LGBT+ community, with more than 60 events held throughout the week.